Stories from Tuesday, June 19, 2007

A former assistant at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks has been tabbed to lead the women's basketball program at McCook Community College. Benjamin Smith has been named head coach for the Lady Indians. Additionally he will serve as MCC's Director of Housing...

The McCook First Central Bank American Legion Juniors A team lost to Gothenburg 12-6 Friday at Jaycee Sports Complex. The Juniors' record is now 7-5. "Austin Larson took the mound for us to start the game and then Jeff Lorentz pitched in relief," said FCB Juniors coach Lirin Yost...

INDIANOLA -- McCook swimmers entered 47 individual and relay events in a swim meet in Indianola on Saturday. Out of those four events, McCook brought home 37 first place ribbons and won the meet. Those individuals receiving first place ribbons were Hannah Kohl, Taylor Geisler, Emily Wood, Katie Latta, Ronda Graff, Jon Graff, Whitney Korgan, Dan Burns, Becca Tietz, Alex Graff, Andrew Graff, Jessica Premer, Sharlyn Coleman, Kim Kness and Kayla Fahrenbruch...

McCook Rebels 18 2nd at NP tourney NORTH PLATTE -- The McCook Rebels 18 and under fastpitch softball team placed second at the North Platte Tournament this weekend. Next games for the McCook Rebels 18 and under will be in Hastings for the Class A state tournament. First game will be Friday at 5 p.m...

Feb. 18, 1922 - June 17, 2007 OBERLIN -- Ray A. Lohoefener, 85, died Sunday (June 17, 2007) at his home in Oberlin. He was born Feb. 18, 1922, on a farm northwest of Oberlin, to Waldo and Lela (Jorgensen) Lohoefener. He grew up on a farm in Liberty Township northwest of Oberlin. He attended Liberty School and Decatur Community High School, graduating in 1939...

May 9, 1937 - June 17, 2007 ATWOOD -- Janice?L. Focke, 70, died Sunday (June 17, 2007) at Rawlins County Health Center in Atwood. She was born to John Jr. and Anna (Wicke) Focke on May 9, 1937, in Atwood. She was baptized into the Lutheran faith on May 30, 1937, and was confirmed on March 18, 1951, at Trinity Lutheran Church...

May 28, 1921 - June 16, 2007 CURTIS --?Edith M. Tatum-Heagney, 86, died Saturday (June 16, 2007) at Sunset Haven Nursing Home in Curtis. She was born May 28, 1921, to Eli and Emma A. (Parker) Raney at Wallace. She grew up and attended school in Wallace...

April 14, 1923 - June 17, 2007 WAUNETA -- Eva E. Pezza, 84, died Sunday (June 17, 2007) at the Heritage of Wauneta.  She was born in Palisade on April 14, 1923, to Floyd and Anna (Dudek) Follett.  She graduated from Palisade High School. She married Frank Pezza in McCook on Oct. 2, 1944. ...

William "Bill" Edward Green, Sr. of McCook, died Sunday, (June 17, 2007) at Hillcrest Nursing Home.  He was 86 years old.  Bill was born at Edgar, to Guy I. and Grace (Hart) Green.  He graduated from Edgar High School, the University of Nebraska in Lincoln and attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C...

The McCook City Council briefly discussed the city sales tax Monday night but took no action on whether it would be placed on the November ballot. Instead, another public hearing was set for Aug. 6, 7 p.m. at the Senior Center and the council heard from a concerned citizen who questioned the need for another tax...

A McCook man with 65-70 dogs on his property, half of them puppies, requested a special exception from the McCook City Council Monday night for a proposed dog kennel but was told to come back with proof that he is licensed by state and government agencies...

After confronting one supplier about questionable delivery and questioning why another supplier didn't send a representative, Red Willow County commissioners awarded 2007-08 gravel bids Monday morning to two local suppliers. Bids for gravel to cover the county's 600 miles of country roads came from Hancock Gravel and Paulsen's Inc., which have for years split the county's gravel requests, and, for the first time ever, from EIA LLC of Benkelman. ...

Red Willow County commissioners will conduct a public hearing Monday, Aug. 13, to determine whether 156 miles of county roads will be reclassified "minimum maintenance." The hearing will begin at 10 a.m., in the commissioners' room on the third floor of the courthouse in McCook...

Citizens will be able to voice their own opinions about how the city should spend its money, at public workshop sessions scheduled for the 2007-08 budget on July 16-19. The McCook City Council finalized the dates at its regular meeting Monday night. The first workshop will be after the regular council meeting July 16th...

Let's all chip in to honor our nation's birthday.

Did you have a chance to observe the International Space Station as it passed over the area? There were several opportunities to view the space station and Space Shuttle Atlantis during the time they were joined until their separation on June 17. They made quite a sight as they passed low to the north most of the time...

Denise Waters, right, of New York City, gets a hug from Anne Edmonson of Tygh Valley, Ore., while Edmonson's co-pilot, Charlene Olsen of La Veta, Colo., goes through a post-landing checklist in today's McCook stop of the Air Race Classic. Waters and crewmate Ruth Maestre of Cleveland, Ohio, were the first crew to arrive for the annual all-women race's first stop, shortly after 10 a.m. ...